Folding door hanger assembly



I 1 United States Patent u113,545,522

[72] Inventor Robert R. Stein 5 References Cited 2| 1 A I No gz'ggg UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,732,894 1/1956 Harris 16/93X [22] Filed April 17, 1969 I 3,181,596 5/1965 Wmnan et a1.. 160/206 [45] Patented Dec. 8,1970 [73 Assignee lnsmlment systems Corporamm 3,275,064 9/1966 Hansen 160/206 New York, New York Primary Examiner-.1. Karl Bell a corporation of New York, by Inesn Attorney- Howard C. Miskin assignments ABSTRACT: A folding door structure includes at least a pair of mutually hinged panels, and an overhead track which slideably supports a follower. A pair of spaced arms are pivoted at their front ends to the upper free corner of a door [54] FOLDING 23 Q ASSEMBLY panel and at their rear ends to the follower, the vertical pivotal 10 Claims raw axes on the follower being longitudinally spaced a distance [52] US. Cl 160/199, greater than that between the axes on the door panel. The rear 160/206 face of a fixed stop member is engaged by an outwardly [51] Int. Cl. E05d /26 directed finger on the door panel rear when the door panels Field of Search /199, are in closed condition, and the pivotal axes lie in a common 206, 213, 196; 16/87, 93, 96 longitudinal plane.

so 27 26 sa PATENIED nEc Blew 3545522 Sam? 05 2 ATTORNEY INVENTOR. ROBERT 11.51am

vide an improved door structure.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in door structures and it relates more particularly to an improved folding door structure and the hanging and operating mechanism thereof.

The use of folding doors provides many desirable features, particularly in the closing of large doorways, such as in the case of closets, garages, and the like or when used asroom separators. However, the conventional folding door structures and operating and hanging. mechanisms possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. Theifitting and mounting of the folding door in .the doorway is a difficult and time-consuming procedure, requiring a high degree of skill, and the resulting structure is frequently misaligned, unstable and of. unattractive appearance,'with the operation thereof leaving much to be desired-An opening was normally required between the top of the door and the door frame, allowing drafts and odors to pass freely from one room to the next. Further, the doors lackedfsupporcso that children oftentimes pushed the doors' in the wrong direction, breaking or bending hinges. Moreover, the manipulation of the door to its closed positionrequires a specific procedure permitting Iittleulatitude resulting in frequent bending of the mechanism, as well as a poor retention of the door in its closed'condition is frequently encountered. I

. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is thus a principal object of the present invention to pro- 7 Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved folding door structure. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hanger and operating mechanism for folding doors. A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hanger and" operating mechanism for folding doors, which facilitates the manipulation of the door and effects a rigid and stable condition thereof in a closed position.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a structure and mechanism of the above nature characterized by the ease of assembly,application and erection thereof, its reliability, ruggedness, versatility, adaptability and attractive ap-,

pearance. t

The above and other objects of the present inventionwill become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof. t I

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a folding door structure including a pair of mutually hinged vertical door panels swingable to a substantially coplanar closed condition, a longitudinally extending overhead track, a follower engaging and longitudinally movable along said '2" carries an outwardly directed finger which pivots about the stop member during the'last stages of closing, and engages the rear face of the stop member when the door is in closed condition. a I

The improvedfolding door structure may be easily and rapidly mounted in a doorway" with a minimum of skill, and fills'the door frame. The manipulation of the door to its open and closed position is simple andflexible, and the door is releasably firmly and stably retained in an optimum closed position. I

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a folding door structure embodying the present invention and illustrated in a closed condition;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to'FIG. 2, the doorbeing illustrated at the beginning of its opening movement;

FIG. 5 is a section view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view ofthe door structure, illustrated byfull line in closed condition and in a fully open conditio DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention as applied to a two panel folding door, it being understood that the improved structure is applicable to folding door structures proved with more than two panels, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a rectangular doorway with which the folding door is associated. The doorway 10 is delineatedfiby. a horizontal overhead number 11 andvertical side members, 12 and 13 and a bottom member 14, which may be defined by a floor. A vertical jamb track, and a pair of first and second arms pivoted at their rear I ends to said follower for swinging about longitudinally spaced vertical outer and inner first axes,'and pivoted at their front ends to a first of said door panels proximate a free border thereof for swinging about longitudinally spaced vertical outer and inner second axes.

According to a preferred form of the improved ,door structure, the follower is in the form of a block slideably mounted on the track and supporting a pair'of depending longitudinally spaced first pivot pins. A bracket is mounted on the inside face of the upper free comer of a door panel and supports a pair of second pivot pins longitudinally spaced a distance less than that of the first pivot pins. The pivot pins lie in a plane parallel to the folding door when in closed condition, and the inner connectingarm terminates in knuckles engaging the inner first and second pins and is rearwardly bent. The'outer connecting arm likewise terminates inknuckles, which engage the outer first and second pins and isforwardly bent. A resilient snubber engages the follower end face when in closed position and is provided with a depending stop member, and the pin, bracket 16 is secured to the inner face of side member .12 rearwardly of the front face thereof.

Registering and associated with the doorway 10 is a pair of inner and outer rectangular folding door sections or panels 17 and 18 respectively, the panels being connected along their adjacent vertical edges by hinges 19, so as to be forwardly foldable. Hinges 19. may be positioned between the edges of panels 17 and 18 also. The inner door section 17 is connected along its edge remote from panel 18 to side member 13, so as to be forwardly swingable form doorway 10. A knob 20 is located on the front outer border of door section 18.

Secured to the underface of overhead member 11 rearwardly of the front face thereof is a channel shaped track 21, which extends longitudinally for substantially the full width of doorway 10, and includes a. top cross web 22 and depending front and rear longitudinal legs 23, which terminate in coplanar horizontal lips 24 directed toward, but spaced from each other. A hanger or follower block 26 slideably engages track 21 and is'provided with opposite longitudinally extending shoulders which rest on the upper faces of lips 24, the lower section of block 26' projecting between and extending below lips 24. A pair of longitudinally spaced medially positioned vertical bores are formed in block 26, and are counterbored at their upper ends to receive washers 27. A pair of vertical pivot pins 28 and 29 engage the bores in block 26 and depend therefrom, and are provided with enlarged top heads 30, which nest in the counterbores and rest on washers 27.

Located in an end of track 21 and resting on lips 24 is a longitudinally extending bar 32 having an end thereof, shown abutting jamb 16 and being suitably secured in position such as by screw 35. The end of bar 32 remote from jamb 16 is engaged by a rubber or other elastomeric cap 33, which defines a snubber and is longitudinally alined with the block 26. The

rear comer of bar 32 proximate jamb 16 isbent downwardly I ,and by broken line in a partially including a vertical front cross plate 37, abutting door section :18,and rearwardly directed sirnilar horizontal top and bottom plates 38 arid 39, respectively. Two longitudinally spaced pairs of vertically alined openings are formed in bracket plates 38 40 and 41 is somewhat less. than the center-to-center distance between pivot pins 28 and 29. A locking finger 42 projects outwardly fromtherearcorner ofupper bracket plate 38, and

the front face thereof engages-the rear face of stop member 34 whenthedoor section 17and 18 are in fully closed condition, and the outer rear borderof door section 18 abuts the front face of jamb 1 6Zlt should be noted that in the aforesaid door closed condition, the end face of block26 engages snubber 33 andthe pivot pins 28, 29,40 and 41 substantially lie in a longitudi nal plane parallel tothe closed door sections and containing the medial longitudinal axis of track 21.

An inner first horizontal connecting link 43 is provided at one end with an in tegral hinge knuckle 44 engaging pivot pin andat its opposite end with an integral hinge knuckle 46 which engages pivot pin 40.,An outer second connecting link is provided atone end with an integral hinge knuckle 48 engaging pivot pin and at its opposite end with an integral Jh'inge knuckle 4 9, engages pivjot pin 41. The outer link 47 is rearwardly bent or curved between its ends as at 50,

proximate pivot pin '40 in the door closed condition and the timer link 43 is forwardly bent or curved between its ends as at 51, proximate pivot pin 29in the door closed condition.

Consideringnow the operation of the improved door structure described above, when the door is in a closed position with door sections 18 and 19 coplanar, as shown in FIGS 1 to 3 and'6 'of thei'drawin gs, the outer rear border of door section I 18 abuts thefront face of jamb 16, the outer upper borders of pattern; and" abut'front leg 23 of track 21, finger 42 enga'ges the rear face of stop member 34, pivot pins 28, 29, 40 and 41 are longitudinally coplanar, and hanger block 26 compresses snubber 33. Under the above conditions the door sections are'itightly retained in a closed coplanar position in accurate mating registry with doorway 10, and present a neat attractive appearance. To open the door, the handle is grasped and is merely pulled forwardly and toward the right as viewedin Fl GL 1. Upon the initial movement of door section 18, it swings and pivots finger 42 out of engagement with stop member 34, an'd pulls the outer border of door section 18 away from jamb 16, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Further manipulation of knob20 to the right advances the door section through the positions shown in H6. 6 to a fully open position with the door sectio nslTan'd 18 inoverlapping, forwardly directed positions proximate side member 13. Panels 17 and 18 remain in open positionby links 43 and 47 urging block 26 against side member 13 The door is rapidly and positively closed merely by moving the door sections 17 and 18 to the left in one simple movement either by means of knob 20 or by pushing onthe exposed face of door section 17. The double links 43 and 47 provide positive movement during closing by urging block 26 towards the leftas viewed in FIG. 6 without bending. The closing operation is simple, convenient, and positive, and requires no special procedure and a full and accurate closing of the door is completely/assured. The accurate assembly, hangingand fitting of the door in the doorway is simple, requires a minimum of skill and obviates any significant and bothersome alterations.

, The double links or arms 43, and 47 provide positive and uniform'movement of panels 17 and 18 during opening and closing. During closing, block 26 engages snubber 33 and Stopping forward movement of block 26. Links 43 and 47 pivot about 'pins 28 and 29 urging the rear border of panel 18 toward jamb '16 and swinging finger 42 around and to the rear of stop member 34 until panel 18 engages jamb 16 and bracket 36 is locked in position.

While there has been'described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that-numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

1 claim:

1. A folding door structure, comprising a pair of mutually vhinged vertical door panels swingable to a substantially coplanar closed condition, a longitudinally extending overhead track, a follower engaging and longitudinally movable along said track, and a pair of first and second arms pivoted at their rear ends to said follower for swinging about longitudinally spaced vertical outer andinner first axes and pivoted at their front ends to a first of said door panels proximate a free border thereof for swinging about longitudinally spaced vertical outer and inner second axes.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said first and second axes lie substantially in 'a vertical plane parallel to and rearwardly of said firstdoor panel when in closed condition.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said first arm extends between and is pivoted to said outer axis, and is rearwardly bent in the area of said inner second axis and said second arm extends between and is pivoted to said inner axis and is forwardly bent in the area of said outer first axis.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the distance between said first axes is greater than the distance between said second axes.

5. The structure of claim 1 including means delineating a doorway having an upper border and an end border, said track being located along said upper border and the outer edge of 1 said first door panel when in closed condition being disposed adjacent said end border, a stop member positioned proximate said end border rearwardly of said first panel,;and an outwardly projecting leg located on the rear face of said first door panel proximate the outer border thereof and engaging the rear face of said stop member when said door panels are in closed condition.

6. The structure of claim 1, including a resilient snubber located in the path of said follower and engaging an outer face of said follower when said door panels are in closed condition,

7. The structure of claim 1, wherein said track comprises a longitudinal channel, including depending longitudinal legs terminating in inwardly directed coplanar lips, said follower comprises a block registering with said channel and slideably resting on said lips and a pair of longitudinally spaced first pivot pins depending therefrom, and comprising a bracket mounted on the rear face of and proximate the outer upper corner of said first door panel, and a pair of longitudinally spaced vertical second pivot pins mounted on said bracket, said first and second arms terminating at opposite ends thereof in hinge knuckles engaging corresponding pivot pins.

8. The structure of claim 7, including means delineating a doorway having an upper border and an end border, said track being located along said upper border and the outer edge of said first door panel when in closed condition being disposed adjacent said end border, a snubber member disposed in said track proximate the outer end thereof and provided with a resilient head section at its inner end confronting said follower block and terminating at its outer end in a depending stop member defining leg, and a finger element projecting outwardly from proximate the rear outer edge of said bracket and engaging the rear face of said stop member when said door panels are in closed condition.

9. A folding door structure, including a pair of mutually hinged vertical door panels relatively swingable to a substantially coplanar closed condition, a longitudinally extending overhead track axially displaced rearwardly from said on and rearwardly of the outer border of said first door panel and engaging a rear face of said stop member when said door panels are in closed condition.

10. The door structure of claim 9, including a resilient snubber positioned in said track and engaging said follower when said door panels are in closed condition. 

